FAQ: Golden Knights Announce New TV Partner

Today the Golden Knights announced their new TV home, unveiling a multi-year partnership with the newly formed Scripps Sports set to begin in the 2023-24 season. The partnership promises to offer all locally broadcast regular season games, every preseason game, and the first round of the playoffs for free to the entire Golden Knights broadcast territory.

We understand this change brings many questions, so we’re here to try and help to answer all of them.

**If you have an additional question not covered, email it to ken@sinbin.vegas and we will wotk to get it answered and add it to this post.**

What is Scripps Sports?

Scripps Broadcasting is one of the oldest broadcast companies in the United States, founded in 1878. Scripps is the second largest operator of local ABC affiliates in the country and they currently operate Las Vegas’ ABS station, KTNV-13. Scripps Sports is a newly formed branch of Scripps Broadcasting which is expected to offer local affiliate network space to professional sports teams who have lost their regional sports network (RSN).

What channels does Scripps operate in Las Vegas?

Scripps currently operates the local ABC affiliate, KTNV-13, as well as ION Television, which is known as KMCC and can be found on channel 34 on DirecTV and over-the-air and channel 63 on Cox Cable.

Are those the channels the Golden Knights games will be on?

Yes! Every Golden Knights game next season and during the multi-year partnership will be aired on either KTNV-13 or KMCC Channel 34 (Cox #63), or both. Scripps is planning on moving ION to a new channel and rebranding KMCC as an independent station that will broadcast local and national news, local sports, and additional entertainment programming.

What are the options to receive these channels on my TV?

Both KTNV and KMCC are available on standard cable (Cox, CenturyLink, etc), via satellite TV (DirecTV, Dish, etc), and over-the-air.

What in the world is “over-the-air?”

Remember the bunny-ears TV’s used to have? It’s that, but it’s a lot better now because it’s 2023 and technology has evolved. Over-the-air is a term that is more commonly known for those who listen to radio. When you tune your station to 98.9 FM or 1340 AM, you are doing it “over-the-air.” The signal is broadcast using a specific frequency and any radio can pick it up, for free. The same concept has always been available on TV, it’s just most people went away from it when cable became more popular. All you have to do is purchase a digital antenna (they are about $20) and plug it into your TV. Once it’s hooked up, you will receive all sorts of over-the-air channels, including the two channels Golden Knights games will be on.

And this works for everyone?

Well, everyone in the Golden Knights viewing territory. No, if you live in Texas you can’t get the games the same way we do here in the Las Vegas valley. But, if you live in Idaho (Boise, Idaho Falls and Twin Falls), Montana (Billings, Butte-Bozeman, Glendive, Great Falls, Helena and Missoula), Nevada (Reno), Utah (Salt Lake City), or Wyoming (Casper-Riverton and Cheyenne-Scottsbluff), these two channels will be available to you for free over the air.

What about cord-cutters and streamers?

Currently, KTNV is offered on most internet streaming services including YouTube TV. KMCC is currently offered as well under the ION TV name, however, with that channel expected to remain, the streaming services would have to offer the new KMCC channel. The Golden Knights and Scripps Sports indicated a willingness to make this channel available via streaming services, but as we know from the history of these situations, until it’s there, it’s not there.

Can I watch the games on my phone or computer if I am using cable, satellite, or over-the-air? 

If you are an in-market fan (NV, UT, ID, MT, WY), there is currently not a streaming option in place to watch the games. The Golden Knights and Scripps expressed a plan to create an app that would allow for this in the near future.

Anything change for those of us who are out-of-market?

Nope. Everything should stay exactly the same for those who have been watching games via ESPN+ or NHL.tv. As long as the NHL continues to offer games to out-of-market fans (there’s absolutely no reason this would ever stop), Golden Knights games will be available using whichever service the league is partnered with. At this time, it’s ESPN+, so the games on Scripps Sports will be available to out-of-market fans there.

Will blackouts change?

If anything, there could be more territory that experiences blackouts on ESPN+. This is because Scripps Sports is going to be available to fans in more areas of the region than AT&T Sportsnet was. However, unlike in some areas in which blackouts existed under the former TV deal, the current deal should have the channels available to every household in the viewing territory. If you are blacked out, both KTNV and KMCC should be available over-the-air, via satellite, or on cable.

Are Dave and Shane still going to be on the call?

Absolutely. In fact, the broadcast will look nearly identical in terms of personnel. Not only will Dave Goucher and Shane Hnidy be calling the games, but the entire broadcast team is expected to return. This includes Ashali Vise, Gary Lawless, Daren Millard, Darren Eliot, and Deryk Engelland.

How about Silver Knights games?

The deal with Scripps is currently only with the Golden Knights. At the press conference though, The Creator was very public about wanting to partner with Scripps for Silver Knights games as well.

**Again, if you have any more questions that have not been answered, please email them to ken@sinbin.vegas, and we’ll work to get them answered and added to this post.**